Pictures on the Wall
by Oritsu
Summary: Kouga returns to the last remaining village of the wolf youkai, defeated and bitter. But there's no rest for the weary because Ayame has a few bones to pick with him. Rated for lemony situations.
1. Duty Calls

_This is your brain. This is your brain on Kouga. See the difference? Well, maybe it's more like I have Ryouga from Ranma1/2 on the brain and he's so similar to Kouga that I in my craziness decided to write a fic about him instead. They're both Takahashi works, so where's the problem? Also, I absolutely adore Ginta and Hakkaku. (Bemoans the horrible dubbing of these adorable characters). _

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**PICTURES ON THE WALL**

_By Jacki (aka Kena, Oritsu)_

**Chapter 1 – Duty Calls**

"Kouga! Wait up!" Hakkaku bent over, his hands on his knees, panting. Ginta stopped beside him and stared at the swirling whirlwind that surrounded their leader recede into the distance. Soon, the rolling hills that surrounded the base of the mountain range looming before them swallowed him up completely.

"Cheer up, Hakkaku, he's not moving near as fast now."

"That's a reason to be happy?" He shot Ginta a skeptical look. "Ever since he lost his Shikon shards he's been even moodier than normal!"

Ginta waved dismissively. "Nah, he's depressed because he finally realized that Kagome-neesan wants to be with Inu-yasha."

"That's still no reason to be cheerful, Ginta," Hakkaku retorted, rising and brushing the sweat from the bald scalp surrounding his Mohawk.

Ginta blinked as he mulled this statement over. "Oh yeah. I guess you're right. Well, I guess we better catch up to him then." He set off running.

Hakkaku heaved a weary sigh and followed after his pack-mate, the rest of the wolves in tow behind him.

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Kouga growled as he forced his legs to move faster. His shins felt empty and weak, and they ached terribly. He felt himself sapped of the Shikon induced strength that he had become accustomed to during the past months. His limbs were unable to match the speed he had once controlled so effortlessly.

His pride felt sapped as well. Not only had he been deprived of the shards, but of his revenge for his slain pack at the hands of Naraku and his minions. Not to mention that he had come face-to-face with the indisputable truth that his intended mate Kagome had chosen that hanyou dog-shit Inu-yasha over him. Compounding insult upon insult, the despicable half-breed had become far more powerful than ever using the Shikon jewel that he, Kouga, proud prince of the wolf youkai, had sacrificed his strength to complete.

A large, centuries-old pine tree loomed into view and he leapt into the air and kicked it as hard as he could. The gnarled trunk buckled and fell over at the force of the blow, sending a spray of needles into the air when it crashed into the ground. Kouga glared at the fallen tree with undisguised rage. If he had had his Shikon shards, he wouldn't even be able to pick his teeth with what was left of that tree. Baring his teeth in a feral grin, he threw back his head and howled his frustrations into the crisp autumn air.

A chorus of calls from the tree-shrouded caves up on the mountain answered his. Somewhere below, Ginta and Hakkaku's exhausted howls and those of the dozen or so wolves that followed along with them could be heard. Kouga dropped his head in defeat.

He couldn't keep running. With the defeat of Naraku came the end of his long journey of revenge. Now he would have to return to the last remaining tribe of the nearly annihilated wolf youkai, tail between his legs, to explain to the pack leaders how he had been outdone by a mere hanyouk, and in so doing, failed to avenge their fallen brothers and sisters.

Never before had he felt so pathetically impotent. Part of himself told him to ignore the calls of the pack and continue running, continue pursuing the impossible dream of unsurpassed power and the wondrous human female with whom he wished to mate.

Hakkaku and Ginta called again, closer now. Kouga swished his tail in irritation. He couldn't keep running. As leader of his pack, small though it now was, he held a responsibility to his two remaining pack-mates. Though they whined incessantly, they had followed him unquestioningly through many perils and never challenged his authority. They were both exhausted, stretched far beyond their limits, and he owed it to them to let them rest.

A long sigh racked his tired body. He called back to his comrades and to the rest of the tribe on the mountain before disappearing again into the furious cyclone of dust.

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"Ayame-neesan! Ayame-neesan!"

The female wolf youkai rubbed the sleep from her eyes and slowly rose to her feet. She picked her way expertly through the darkness to the heavy pelts that curtained off her private little alcove in the main cavern.

She stared in bleary wonder at the chaotic mess below her. The whole tribe was in an uproar. Shouts rang off of the cold stone walls and the pounding of bare feet reverberated throughout the massive cave that the largest of the four original tribes of the wolf clan called home.

"Ayame-neesan!" She looked down at the flustered wolf cub waving and shouting for her attention below her.

"What is it? What's going on?" she asked.

The cub leapt into the air excitedly and pumped one fist enthusiastically into the air. "It's Kouga-sama, Nee-san! Kouga-sama is back!"

Ayame nearly tumbled head-first out of her room. Kouga. So he had returned to lead the tribe, had he? One hand rose unconsciously to her chest, gripping at an invisible pain deep in her heart. Kouga the victorious. Returning to his people, probably with his new human mate in his arms.

"Ayame-neesan, are you okay?"

She blinked and brushed her hand through her long auburn bangs. "I'm fine, Kenji," she replied, leaping gracefully to the floor to stand by his side. Kenji grabbed hold of one of her hands and started to pull her towards the opening of the cave.

"Hurry up, Nee-san! Don't you want to hear Kouga-sama's story about how he defeated Naraku?"

Ayame sighed and followed him out into the dying afternoon light. The whole tribe had thronged out to the center of the valley. Shouts and excited conversations rose. Kenji began to jump in an attempt to see over the heads of the others. Releasing Ayame's hand, he began to wiggle and push his way through the crowd.

"Kenji, wait up!" she called as she followed after him. A large hand clapped her on the back.

"Ayame-sama, aren't you excited that your fiancé has returned?" called one boisterous wolf.

"Yeah, Ayame," said another, "you don't have to be such a tomboy anymore. You can stay in the caves and nurse his pups."

A blush crept to her cheeks and she averted her eyes. The wolves, taking the reaction to be the shy look of a bride-to-be, chuckled happily amongst themselves. Ayame sighed and moved away from them.

A small cluster of females, busily fussing with their hair and clothing sighed as she passed. "You're so lucky, Ayame-sama," one of them said. "Kouga is so handsome."

"He'll make a great mate," another said.

Ayame nodded absentmindedly and pushed away from them. She was glad to finally see open land between the sweaty, fur-clad bodies of her kin. An elderly wolf with shaggy grey hair appeared, Kenji at his side.

"Grandfather," Ayame said, bowing her head in respect to the pack leader.

"Ayame," he replied with a small nod.

"There he is! There he is!" Kenji pointed excitedly at the whirlwind moving swiftly up the slope of the mountain. Ayame clenched at her fur cape, nibbling her lower lip in apprehension as he crested the lip of the valley, the whirlwind dissipating rapidly around his tall, leggy form.

Kouga lifted his head and mustered the most regal expression he could.

"So you've returned, Kouga."

"Hai."

"Then Naraku has been defeated?"

Kouga nodded stiffly, eyes focused on a spot beyond the old wolf's shoulder.

"Do you plan on staying here?" Kouga nodded a second time and the pack leader grunted in approval. "I am glad, Kouga. We are in need of a warrior of your merit to lead us."

Kouga clenched his fists at his sides, jaw hardening. How humiliating to have to deceive his own people. Feeling the scrutiny of the pack leader, he forced himself to relax. When he looked up again the old wolf was slowly making his way back to the caves, Ayame at his side. She glanced back at him briefly, immediately diverting her gaze as their eyes met. Kouga sighed.

"Kouga-sama!"

He looked down into the beaming face of the wolf cub he had seen at the pack leader's side. Longish auburn hair stuck out in stiff, spiky clumps from his head, partially obscuring a pair of brilliant green eyes. Those eyes. The pup looked so much like... Kouga shook his head to clear it. No. He had enough problems on his mind right now to even spend a minute thinking about Ayame.

"Who are you, kid?" he asked. The child's smile grew even wider, his tiny fangs gleaming.

"I'm Kenji. Come with me, Kouga-sama!" The wolf cub grabbed hold of one of his hands and pulled. Amazed at the kid's gall, Kouga silently complied, allowing Kenji to lead him away from the milling crowd of youkai who were now wandering back to their tasks.

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By the time Ginta and Hakkaku had made it to the valley night had fallen and most of the pack had either retired to the caves or were out hunting. Panting and whining about the lack of a proper greeting, they wandered into the main cavern and collapsed before one of the small fires that were scattered about the floor.

"You want to know something, Ginta?" Hakkaku said as he grabbed a small flask of water and raised it to his mouth.

"What's that?" Ginta replied from around a mouthful of food.

"Now that we're here we don't have to worry about so many things.

His companion chuckled. "Yeah, like keeping Kouga away from Inu-Yasha and Kagome-neesan."

"Or tracking Naraku."

"Don't forget Sesshoumaru! Now that was one scary guy!" They both burst into laughter around mouthfuls of meat.

Catching sight of Ayame walking past, Hakkaku waved. "Oi, Ayame!"

She looked up, startled from her thoughts, and gave them both weak smiles. She sent a longing look at the curtains concealing her room as she sat down in between them; she was in no mood to chat.

"So, how have you two been?" she asked halfheartedly.

"Hungry."

"Thirsty."

"Exhausted," they both answered as one and laughed again.

"Oh? Has food been scarce?"

Ginta shrugged. "Not really. Kouga has just been dragging us all over and we haven't had much time to hunt."

"Or rest," Hakkaku finished. "If Kouga even got the slightest feeling that Naraku or Kagome-neesan was near he would get up and run off."

Ayame's face fell at the mention of the human girl's name. Looking distressed by the reaction, Hakkaku patted Ayame on the shoulder.

"Cheer up, Ayame!" he consoled, Ginta nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, Ayame, there's no need to worry about that anymore," Ginta continued.

"And why is that?" Ayame shot a teary-eyed glance at him. He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

"Well...that is...Kouga—"

A loud crash followed by shouting suddenly echoed out of one of the cave's antechambers. All conversation and activity halted as the wolf youkai turned to the source of the commotion.

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_Ah, well here it is: the first chapter of the Kouga x Ayame fic that I just had to write before I can get back to Fluffy Love sequels. I'm thinking that I might tie in this story to those sequels somehow, so I guess you could say that in some way it is related... _

_Hanyways, what did you think? I can't seem to get away from the friggin' angst, but at least I have several different characters that I can spread it out in. Wait...maybe more angsty characters isn't a good thing... Oh well. This fic _should_ be shorter than Fluffy Love, but just as lemony. Having more...ahem...savage characters gives me a chance to write a different sort of lemon, though I did enjoy working with Sess and Rin. _

_Please R&R, and expect the next chapter in a couple of days! Oh yes, before I forget. I realize that Ayame is not in the manga. Unless the anime is an absolute horrid rendition of its parent manga (which is definitely not the case with IY), I typically don't take it as the bible of that particular series. _


	2. Confrontation

_Sorry for the delay in uploading! I've been having troubles logging into ff . net lately. But here it is: chap2 for your reading enjoyment. I'm having some troubles with chapter 3, but I'm expecting to have it completed sometime within this week. I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but 3 should be the last chapter, with possibly a short epilogue. Anyway, please R&R!_

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**PICTURES ON THE WALL**

_By Jacki (aka Kena, Oritsu)_

**Chapter 2 – Confrontation**

"So is it true that you fought Naraku to avenge your pack, Kouga-sama?"

Kouga stared uncomfortably down at the young wolf youkai clinging to his arm. "Yeah, that's right," he replied quietly.

Kenji beamed. "And do you really have shards of the Shikon no Tama?"

"I did."

"Really?! Can I see them?"

Kouga frowned slightly. "I don't have them anymore."

The cub looked down, perturbed. "I guess I'll have to change that then," he mumbled.

"Nani?" Kouga stared at the boy in mild incomprehension and annoyance.

"Oh! Here, I'll show it to you, Kouga-sama. Come with me." Kenji pulled at his arm, leading him down a small tunnel that branched off from the back of the main cavern. Kouga followed reluctantly. The kid was annoying, but he would much rather face his rapid-fire, idiotic questions than those of the rest of the pack. Or Ayame.

Bright light fell onto his face and he shielded his eyes as he looked up into the grinning face of the full moon. He was standing beneath a large skylight cut into the ceiling of a small, circular room. Moonlight bathed the walls with a cold bluish glow.

Kouga blinked. What were those strange marks on the wall?

"Here, Kouga-sama!" Kenji waved him over and Kouga joined him, squinting for a better look at the marks. Ah ha, so that's what they were: drawings. The figures of trees, animals, and people were scattered in rough relief from floor to ceiling all around the cavern. Kouga gaped at the pictures.

"Did you draw these, kid?"

A wide grin split Kenji's face from ear to ear and he nodded proudly. "When the youkai at the top of the mountain started attacking us, my mother and I remained in the caves because it was too dangerous for me to go out." He pointed to a small tunnel, accessible only to a small person on hands and knees. A large rock sat to one side of the tunnel's entrance, the floor smooth and shiny from where it had been rolled back and forth. "We would hide in there whenever we sensed malicious youki. With Ayame-neesan and the others having left to get help, there wasn't much else for me to do except draw."

"Where's your mother now?"

Kenji's face fell. "She was killed when she went out to hunt."

Feeling guilty at having brought up the subject, Kouga nodded. "So what is all of this?" he asked, motioning to the clusters of drawings.

Kenji tapped at a tall, brown figure with long legs and broad triangular chest. "That right there is you, Kouga-sama. See, in this picture you're fighting Kagura, minion of Naraku."

Kouga followed the boy's figure up to a second, smaller figure, swirls of bluish white swirling around her body symbolizing the wind that she controlled. Kenji shuffled over a few paces and pointed at another scene etched onto the limestone wall. "And here you are finding the Shikon shards." The brown male figure stood with arms outstretched in a position of victory, three small white circles embedded in its forearm and shins.

Kouga glanced at the pup in wonder, following silently as he moved to show him another picture.

"Here you are fighting the evil hanyou Inuyasha." The Kouga figure was towering over a smaller figure, set on all fours. In between and below the two fighters was a third person, a woman given the two triangles of breasts on her chest. A bow and arrow were poised and ready in her arms. "That's the human miko, Kagome," Kenji explained.

"Where did you...who told you about all of this?" Kouga whispered, fingers lingering on Kagome's small form.

"Neesan."

"Ayame is your sister, right?"

Kenji nodded happily. "Kouga-sama, were you really going to take the human miko as your mate?"

One of Kouga's eyebrows twitched slightly in annoyance. "I'm a prince of the wolf tribe and I can mate with whomever I please," he snapped.

"So you would break the promise you made to Neesan?"

"What promise? I never made any promise with Ayame," Kouga growled. He sent a menacing glare at the brat in an attempt to scare him into dropping the topic.

Kenji sighed then brightened as his gaze latched onto a cluster of small clay pots sitting against one of the walls. Gathering them up in his arms he walked over to the other youkai.

"Can I ask you for a favor, Kouga-sama?"

"You better not be wanting to be my wife too, brat," Kouga grumbled.

Kenji laughed and shook his head. "No, I wanted to know if you would draw yourself defeating Naraku."

Kouga stiffened. Fists clenching into tight balls at his side, he bared his teeth and glared at the small child and his proffered bundle of pigments. Kenji blinked up at him in confusion.

"Gomen, Kouga-sama, you must be tried after the battle and your journey here. Maybe you could draw it later?"

A low growl rose in the back of Kouga's throat, growing into a snarl of rage. He swatted the pottery from the cub's hands. The small vessels hurtled through the air to shatter on the far wall. Red, blue, and brown pigments splattered in riotous confusion, ruining the pictures.

"You're too noisy!"

Kenji flinched, startled at the sudden movement. He glanced at the mess on the wall, then back at the furious youkai looming over him.

"Stupid brat, wasting my time with this idiotic crap! Drawing your stupid little pictures on the wall instead of going out to hunt like a real wolf! How dare you tell me what I should and shouldn't do, you little coward!" Kouga growled, turned on his heel, and stormed out of the room towards the main cavern. He didn't meet any of the dozens of eyes that were peeled on him, nor responded to the flurry of curious whispers rising in his wake.

"Kouga!" He leveled a murderous look in Ayame's direction as she rose to block his path.

"What just happened?" she demanded.

"Get out of my way," Kouga replied, voice dangerously quiet.

"Not until you tell me what all the shouting was about!"

Kouga shoved her roughly aside, breaking into a run as he exited the cave. Ayame yelled his name, but he had already disappeared into the night. She angrily turned away, gritting her teeth against the tears that threatened to spill onto her cheeks.

"Neesan."

Her anger was forgotten as she saw Kenji standing before her, face streaked with tears. Letting out a wail, he threw his arms around her waist and broke out into loud sobs. Ginta and Hakkaku looked from them to the dark land outside the cave, faces riddled with concern.

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Ayame growled and leapt into the air, clearing the fallen trees in her path. She landed deftly on her feet and resumed running, her own furious whirlwind swirling around her heels. She inhaled deeply, letting her nose guide her through the darkness.

Damn him. Damn Kouga. What right did he have to come to the home of her people and treat her own brother—royalty of the wolf clan same as him—with such contempt?! Kenji had been nearly inconsolable as he told her what Kouga had done and said. She had left him, still bawling, to confront the bastard.

Damn Ginta and Hakkaku too for defending him. They had had the nerve to sit and listen to her little brother bear his broken heart and then try to stop her from going after him.

"_Ayame, please! Kouga's exhausted. He's not acting like himself," Ginta pleaded, arms gesturing in emphasis. _

"_Just let him cool down for awhile! Hunting him down and yelling at him is not going to solve anything!" Hakkaku continued, one restraining hand on her arm._

She gritted her teeth as she remembered their insistent words. They were as traitorous as their leader and just as cowardly. They were always covering for Kouga, supporting his shameful and unreasonable pursuits, referring to the human woman as if she was a member of their own pack. It was infuriating, and as member of royalty in the clan, she wasn't going to allow this sort of behavior to continue.

She could hear the sound of rushing water from just ahead of her. She slowed down, the twister of air dissipating. His scent was strong; he couldn't be more than a few meters away. Ayame pushed aside a few overhanging branches and paused as she caught sight of him. Kouga was standing on a small bluff looking out over the large river that swept in a furious torrent down the mountainside, his back towards her. He was staring down at something below him, deep in thought.

Ayame crept closer. All she had to do was leap and kick him right off the bluff into the water. He'd probably never hear her sneak up behind him, nor be able to pick up her scent as she was downwind of him. That would teach him, knock his insufferable pride down a few notches.

But yet there was something about the way he was standing there. Shoulders slumped, head drooping. If she hadn't known better, she would have thought it was someone else. He seemed almost....sad.

Her nails dug into her palms. She couldn't let herself feel sorry for him. After all, he had blatantly disregarded his promise to her, humiliating her in front of an audience of humans and a hanyou. To see him fuss over a weakling human woman had almost sent her over the edge. Even the fact that the young miko did not reciprocate Kouga's feelings was not much of a comfort to her. And then this business with her little brother...

"Kouga!"

The tall youkai jumped, startled from his thoughts, and whipped around to face her. Ayame wavered, holding back the flow of profanity and insults that were ready to spill from her lips. That look on his face. He almost looked as if he were in some sort of pain.

"What do you want, Ayame?" he said quietly.

"Why were you so mean to Kenji? What did he ever do to you?" she cried out angrily.

Kouga's eyes darted to the side. "Why are you bothering me with this garbage?"

Ayame's eyes widened in fury. "Bothering you? The only thing you've managed to do since you came here is cause trouble! Kenji is heartbroken and the rest of the tribe is unsure if you're even fit to lead them!"

"Let them think what they want. I don't care."

"Don't care?" Ayame stared incredulously at him. "It's your responsibility, Kouga. Grandfather doesn't have much time left, which leaves you and Kenji as the only possible leaders."

"Let the brat run the tribe for all I care. He can teach them how to draw his little pictures."

A menacing growl rumbled in her throat. "And where will you be, huh? Chasing after your human woman?"

"Maybe," he replied softly.

"How pitiful." She smirked. "I'm really not that surprised that you came back alone, Kouga. Kagome may have been only a human, but she obviously saw what a lowly coward you were and chose the hanyou over you!" He growled, and her grin widened. "I bet he was the one who defeated Naraku too. How pathetic," she sneered.

His face darkened and he lunged at her. Her head rocked back as his palm connected solidly with the side of her head. Stunned, she touched the reddening handprint on her face, staring numbly at him.

"You bastard!" she screamed. Darting forward she swung one of her legs around in a furious round-house kick. He blocked the blow and the next one that followed.

Ayame smirked as she forced him backwards with a barrage of punches and kicks. So the rumors were true, then. He had lost his Shikon shards, and as a result, he had been weakened. Gone was the phenomenal speed and strength. They were almost evenly matched as they grappled on the bluff.

Plucking a leaf from a nearby tree, she threw it at him. Instantly it became many leaves, sharp green blades darting towards their mark. Kouga threw his arms up in front of him in a defensive gesture. Ayame took the opportunity and tackled him around the waist, knocking him backwards. He used the momentum to his advantage, rolling the two of them head over heels so that he pinned her to the ground. Ayame screeched in fury and wriggled beneath him.

"Cut it out, baka! I don't want to fight you!" Kouga's fingers dug into the soft flesh of her arms, restraining her. He opened his mouth to speak again, but was interrupted by a loud crack. The earth beneath them gave a sickening lurch before giving away completely, throwing both of them into the raging current below.

The water was ice cold, nearly stopping both of their hearts as they instantly sank to the rocky bottom. Ayame began to thrash her way to the surface, her armor slowing her down. Kouga emerged beside her, gasping. He wrapped one arm tightly around her waist and began to pull her towards the bank.

"Let go of me!" she screamed as she tore at his arm with sharp fingernails. White stars flew before his eyes as her elbow connected solidly with the side of his head. Disoriented, he spun around in the current, carrying her along with him, screaming obscenities and thrashing around in his grip.

The air was suddenly knocked from both of their chests as the river threw them into a large rock jutting up like a dark sentinel from the rapids. Momentarily stunned, they sank beneath the surface only to rise again in a sputtering tangle of limbs and wet fur. Ayame's ear-shattering shrieks of rage nearly drowned out the sound of the river and he turned on her angrily.

"Shut up, you idiot! Do you want to die here?" he barked, giving her waist a savage squeeze. She began to reply, only to be interrupted as they were thrown against a second, then third, then fourth rock in swift, bone-jarring succession.

"Let me go, you spineless bastard!" she finally managed to spit out. "I'll swim to shore on my—"

She was suddenly cut off as her cape caught on one of the submerged branches that littered the river bottom, jerking them both backwards and drawing a strangled cry from her throat. Water began to pour over her shoulders and she was dragged under, gasping for air. She frantically began to claw at the metal clasp of her cape that was digging painfully into her throat. Her chest burned as struggled in vain to free herself, her fingers becoming numb from the cold and lack of oxygen. Vaguely she heard Kouga shouting and felt his hands on her, but soon all sensation disappeared into a field of black.

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_Only one chapter left, and you can expect it in another few days or so. I like to save the lemon for last, so you're going to have to wait until then for all the horny goodness. Until then, please R&R!_


	3. Confessions

_I apologize for the wait! Originally I was going to lump this in with the lemon and the end of the story, but that's been taking me longer than I thought it would and it would have ended up really long. So here you go. Please R&R!_

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**PICTURES ON THE WALL**

_By Jacki (aka Kena, Oritsu)_

**Chapter 3 – Confessions**

Ayame opened her eyes and stared blankly upwards, disoriented. Where was she? She remembered going out after Kouga, fighting him. Her head reeled as she sat upright and she collapsed back to the ground.

"Baka. Go back to sleep."

Head still spinning she looked over to the source of the voice. Kouga sat nearby, tending to a small fire. His long black hair hung loose in a wet, tangled mass on his naked back. Feeling a draft, she looked down to find her armor and leggings gone, lying in a pile with his opposite the fire. She was clad only in her chest bindings and her skirt, and those were both soaking wet. She shivered and rolled onto her side to face the fire and blearily surveyed their surroundings.

They were in some sort of burrow, barely more than a large hole dug deep into the ground. A tangled network of thick roots twisted about the earthy ceiling and walls, buttressing their shelter. A tunnel sloped gently upwards towards the entrance. The sound of the river echoed distantly from outside.

"Where are we?" she murmured, her voice a rough croak. How much water had she swallowed? One pale hand rose to her throat and stiffened as her fingers encountered the large swollen welt made by the clasp of her cape. It ran in a neat line from one side of her neck to the other and was slightly wet.

"You tell me," Kouga snapped, dark eyes glinting in the firelight. "You're the one who got us into this mess, baka."

She bristled at the insult, shakily pushing herself up onto one elbow to glare at him. "You're the one who started all this, Kouga. How cowardly of you to pick on a child!"

His lips pulled back from his teeth in a grimace, the firelight flickering off of the two sharp points of his fangs. He felt a sort of grim amazement that she had been able to peg down his problems so quickly and with such painful accuracy. Not to mention her brazen physical attack on him earlier. His arms still ached from the beating they had sustained while blocking her blows. He couldn't believe that she had continued to fight him even after they had been thrown into the river. Even after her cape had caught on the branch and she was simultaneously drowning and being strangled to death she had still clawed at him as he fought against the current to help her.

Her persistence never failed to amaze him. When she had been a child she had followed him whenever he visited, insisting that he train her to be as fast and as good a fighter as he was. Years later she had come after him to remind him of a promise he had made to her during one of those late night training sessions. Her determination in that manner had been an annoyance then, and he had vehemently denied her claims in hopes of turning her away.

She had been right, though: he had promised to make her his wife. The memory was dim in his mind, but there none the less. His rebuttals had stung her, but she had doggedly pursued him, trying to convince him of the truth no matter what it took. And just as she was right then, she was right now.

He was a coward. Lowly and utterly despicable he was, shouting at children and even lashing out at her when she confronted him with the ugly truth. He stared at her, at those large green eyes that burned angrily into his. Other than Ginta and Hakkaku and the tribal elder, she was the only other wolf youkai left alive who could claim any sort of familiarity with him. To be ignored by her when he returned and then to hear her utter the word "coward" in reference to him had lodged a cold spike of pain deep in his heart.

"If you don't have anything to say for yourself then I'm leaving. Unlike you I have something important to go back to." Ayame shakily pushed herself to her feet and, leaning on the wall of the burrow for support, took several wavering steps up the tunnel. Instantly she regretted the movement. Her stomach gave a nauseating twist and her vision began to blur into duplicate, then triplicate.

"Ayame!" Kouga rose to his feet as she sank to hands and knees. She retched and he placed a gentle hand on her back and smoothed back her hair as she vomited up a great amount of water onto the packed dirt floor. He rubbed her back as her chest heaved again and again. With a whimper she sat back on her heels, leaning into him for support.

"Idiot. I told you stay put," he murmured halfheartedly. She groaned and collapsed against him. With a sigh he tipped her back, slid an arm beneath her crooked knees, and lifted her up into his arms. He carried her over to the far side of the little cave and set her down gently. After tending to the fire and covering up the vomit with dirt to reduce the acrid smell, he checked on their clothing. No good. Everything was still soaking wet.

Kouga shivered in the draft that was leaking down the tunnel from the cool autumn night. He glanced uneasily at Ayame's still form. Normally he wouldn't hesitate to snuggle up to a comrade to sleep. When he had been on the run with Ginta and Hakkaku, they had often curled up next to each other on cold nights. It was a natural thing for any wolf, youkai or not, to do. But something told him that to lie down next to Ayame would only open the door for more trouble.

Cool air streamed through into the burrow, making the fire sputter and forcing him to make a decision. Her skin was smooth and cool to the touch as he sat down cross-legged against the wall and pulled her into his lap. Her weight was strangely pleasant, and he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her more firmly against him. Already he was beginning to warm up, now all he had to do was find a more comfortable position against the wall.

"So you really don't remember, do you?"

Kouga sighed in annoyance and squeezed at the bridge of his nose with thumb and forefinger. "Why are you bringing this up now?" he asked wearily.

She stirred slightly in his arms. "I don't know. It just keeps bothering me."

"Me too," came his sarcastic response.

This time it was Ayame who sighed. "What are you going to do tomorrow?"

"Besides sleep since you won't shut up?" He jumped as a sharp pain shot up one of his sides. He looked down to find her fingernails pinching a small fold of skin on the side of his ribcage. He gazed at the fire. "I don't know what I'm going to do, Ayame."

She released him, palm resting lightly against his chest. "Will you go after Kagome?"

"No."

She pulled away and shot him a quizzical look. "Why not?"

He shrugged his shoulders, stubbornly refusing to meet her eyes. She lightly gripped his chin and forced him to look at her. Surprisingly he complied, gazing resignedly at her before grabbing her hand and pulling it from his face. The action made her suddenly very aware of just how close they were and she flushed and dropped her head to his shoulder. Heat radiated in thick waves from his skin, and she inhaled deeply. Ah, that strong, musky scent of his. It reminded her of her childhood and of those happy times they had spent together.

"Human women are too weak," he suddenly blurted. "They age too quickly." Absentmindedly he began to knead at her fingers, thumb rubbing lightly over the thick calluses on her palm. At her derisive snort he quickly added, "And I have no desire to sire a pack of hanyou brats."

"You have your pick of the remaining females here. All of them find you quite charming," she responded, the slightest tone of bitterness in her voice. She pursed her lips into a pout and curled her fingers around his thumb, stopping its restless movements. "Besides, as long as you continue the bloodline, you have complete freedom of choice. No rules or promises bar you from doing what you want."

Kouga winced at those last words. He pulled his hand from her grip and rested his chin on the top of her head.

"I never imagined that I would be coming back here," he said softly.

"Nani?"

"Naraku. He was so...so unbelievably strong. And he just kept getting stronger and stronger." He stared fixedly into the fire, remembering. "But I couldn't stop myself. I had to keep going. Had to avenge my pack."

Ayame stiffened as the meaning of his words sunk in to her mind. She pushed herself back so that she could look at him. His eyes were dull and filled with shame.

"You were planning on being killed?" He looked away and nodded slowly, embarrassed.

"I never forgot, Ayame." A chill ran up her spine and distantly she sensed her heartbeat skipping.

"What are you talking about?" she replied dully.

"The rainbow moon. I remember."

Tears pricked at her eyes and her pulse pounded loudly in her ears. Slowly she balled her hands into fists. He didn't flinch when she hammered them into his chest.

"Why?" She sniffled, hot tears spilling over her cheeks. "Why did you lie to me, Kouga?" She beat at him again in emphasis.

"I wanted you to go back home."

"So I wouldn't get in your way with the human?" Lower lip trembling, eyes brimming with tears, she slowly shook her head at him.

"No," he replied, grabbing both of her wrists firmly before she could pummel him again. She struggled to free herself and he jerked her forward and kissed her firmly on the mouth.


	4. Understanding

_Many many apologies for the long wait between chapters! I ran into a mini writer's block halfway through the lemon (yes, this _is_ the lemon) and then midterms jumped up and sucker punched me. Again, I tried to keep smut words to a minimum, but damn was it ever tough not to use them in this chapter! I wanted to make this lemon different from the one in Fluffy Love, and I hope you enjoy it just as much! __I'm penning an epilogue for this at the moment, so if you give me another day or so, I should have that posted!_

**_This is important: If anyone has a problem with me posting the lemon here, please let me know through email or the comments page. I do not wish to offend anyone, and even if it is just one person, I'll censor this chapter accordingly. If that ends up happening, those who want the full lemon can check out my other sites at adultfanfiction .net (auther name Kena), www . kena . deviantart .com (remove spaces for full link), and mediaminer .org (author name Oritsu)._**

_Again, if you find any spelling or grammatical errors or things that just don't make any sense at all (the dreaded word vomits), please let me know!_

_Thank you so much, everyone, for all of the kind reviews! I have the warm fuzzies all over!_

_

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**PICTURES ON THE WALL**

_By Jacki (aka Kena, Oritsu)_

**Chapter 4 – Understanding**

Ayame's eyes widened in shock. What was this? Was he actually _kissing_ her? She opened her mouth slightly and he leaned forward, using her arms as leverage to pull her closer. His tongue tentatively brushed against hers and she jumped and broke the kiss.

"Stop it, Kouga."

He blinked at her, a hurt look surfacing on his face. Her heart leapt in her chest; what was it about his expression that inspired so much pain in her? She shifted uncomfortably in his lap, trying desperately to suppress the shivers of pleasure that shot down her spine and legs as her bare skin brushed his. Never before had she felt so confused. Part of her wanted to move from his lap, put at least the fire in between them and brave the chill autumn air. Common sense told her to stay warm and safe in his arms. A darker instinct told her to return the kiss and welcome what would most certainly happen as a result.

He leaned forward to kiss her again only to connect with her cheek.

"Kouga, no," she whispered.

"I thought this was what you wanted. Why are you always being so stubborn?" he replied, his lips lingering on the side of her face.

"You have may have saved my life, but you don't own it. I'm not going to be your little toy until you can get Kagome to consent to be your mate." She felt him stiffen and, unwilling to meet his eyes, she focused on a distant spot beyond the fire. To her surprise he began to chuckle lightly, his breath running hot over her cheek.

"Baka. You're far too annoying for any man in his right mind to keep as a concubine." He silenced her cry of outrage with a kiss.

Furiously, she began to squirm and writhe in his arms. His hands were like steel bands on her arms, locking her in place. Her heels drummed a furious tempo on the earthen floor in frustration and rage. He tugged playfully at her upper lip, smiling as she growled at him.

All struggles ceased, however, when his teeth closed lightly over the tip of her nose. She fell instantly limp in his arms, gaping at him in abject shock. What did he think he was doing? He stared at her intently, gauging her reaction and waiting for her response. Her jaw trembled slightly, lips just barely brushing his chin.

The request was clear-cut, and instinct informed her of its meaning. It was an assertion of dominance, typically used by males to ask for a female's submission. In other words: Kouga was asking her to mate with him.

How many years had she wanted exactly this from him? And how many times had she been curled up on her bed, blushing as she imagined how the whole scenario would play out? She had an overactive imagination, but she had never figured on it occurring in this setting—a hard, cold burrow some unknown distance from the ancestral caves. Nor had she ever conceived that she would feel such an overwhelming tangle of emotions. It all just seemed so imperfect and abrupt.

Kouga watched her as she thought things over, finding a wry amusement in the flurry of emotions that passed over her face. He didn't quite understand himself why he had decided to do this. Unlike the promise under the rainbow moon, this sort of proposal was a permanent, binding contract. If she accepted she would be his, and he hers. No longer would he be able to pursue Kagome.

Somehow this thought didn't bother him. After all of the action, adventure, and pain he had gone through, he found himself longing for a more stable, less tumultuous life. Not to say that life with Ayame would be devoid of turmoil or surprises. She had a knack for stirring things up—something that he had always loved about her. And she had an understanding of him, of what and who he was, which was something that neither Kagome nor any other human could ever possess.

That was, if she decided to acknowledge him, which didn't seem all too likely given how she had been at his throat for most of the evening and didn't seem all too thrilled to kiss him. It would be the icing on the cake, the straw that broke the camel's back if she denied him. He had ignored and treated her poorly for too long, then come and insulted her and her last remaining family members, and this occurring even after he had finally come to realize how important she was to him. It wouldn't come as much a surprise to him if she refused to mate with him, though it would drive yet another splinter of failure into his heart—one of many.

He shuddered as her teeth tentatively closed over his chin, accepting his offer and sealing their fates. He hadn't realized he had been holding his breath, and it rushed from his mouth in one long, relieved sigh, rustling her bangs. Before he could even take another breath she was on him, crushing his lips back against his teeth in a bruising kiss and slamming him back against the cold dirt wall. His cry of surprise was muffled and quickly melted into a pleased grunt as her tongue met and mingled with his.

Ayame dug her fingernails deep into the thick muscles of his shoulders, pinning him to the wall with mouth and hands. With one deft movement, she adjusted her position so that she now straddled his lap, her knees and shins firmly planted on the floor. He attempted to push back against her, but was only able to move his mouth from hers long enough to take a breath before her lips pressed against his again.

His fingers splayed out over her thighs, kneading at the lean muscles and slowly moving upwards beneath her skirt. He lightly cupped her buttocks and squeezed, smiling against her mouth as she moaned and tightened her grip on his shoulders. He pushed one hand farther up and over her rear until he reached the base of her tail. He began to slowly massage the area, fingers tangling in the soft silver fur.

Ayame shivered, sharp teeth unconsciously biting down into his lower lip. What he was doing to her was absolute torture. That small spot in the small of her back where tail met body was extremely sensitive, sending a flood of shivers up her spine each time he ran his fingers over it. Each stroke was slowly driving her towards the limits of her control; her hands felt drained of strength, her legs shaky. His other hand found its way to the soft skin of her inner thigh and began to move in a gentle caress along its length, starting just above the knee and moving upwards. His fingers brushed lightly at the throbbing heat between her legs and she threw back her head and cried out, her hips bucking involuntarily against him.

Kouga took advantage of the distraction to bring both hands behind her knees and flip her onto her back. She landed with a loud thump and blinked up at him, panting quietly. He smiled wolfishly and tickled lightly at the sensitive flesh in the crook of each knee, grinning as she squirmed and whimpered quietly, before moving so that he stood above her. She braced her elbows against the floor in an effort to sit upright, only to have him force her back down with a kiss.

She complied reluctantly, staring at him from beneath half-lidded eyes as he lowered his head to her chest and drew a hot, wet line over her chest bindings and up to her neck with his tongue. She swallowed loudly, lips quivering as he ran his tongue into the hollows beneath her collarbones, teeth nipping lightly at the delicate, bony curves. He trailed wet kisses up her neck, mouth lingering momentarily over her pounding pulse. Hot air blew over her ear in a warm rush and he tugged playfully on her earlobe. She turned her head to the side, meeting his mouth eagerly, her fingers rising to cup the sides of his face.

His hands smoothed down her neck to her chest, palms running lightly over her covered breasts. She arched up against his fingers, longing for more. There was a small ripping sound and she was jerked upwards. He pulled again at the tight bindings in an attempt to rip them completely off, but with little luck.

"Why do you have to wear so much crap?" he grumbled as he tugged fruitlessly at the heavy fabric. Growling, he set to chewing it off of her, sending her into gales of laughter.

"What? Don't you want this off of you?" he asked, mouth twisting into a lopsided, good-natured grin.

"I'm not so sure," she replied flippantly. "It does keep my armor from chafing me."

"After tonight you're going to have larger concerns than a few small scratches," he fired back in kind. He flicked his tongue into the small bit of cleavage showing above the bindings in emphasis, then resumed gnawing at them.

"Baka. By the time you're done doing that it'll be morning and I would have fallen asleep."

Ignoring his disdainful snort, she maneuvered herself out from under him and crawled towards their discarded clothing, grabbing his sword from the pile. He grinned ruefully as he caught her meaning and grabbed her up around the waist and pulled her back against his body. Curling his fingers around hers on the hilt, he slowly drew it from its sheath and aimed the tip at her chest. She guided him as he slowly and carefully sliced through the chest bindings, each band of fabric springing apart instantly as the blade skillfully parted them.

The fire-light sparkled off of the sword as he tossed it aside. Immediately he ripped the shreds of cloth from her body. His hands were soon on her breasts, squeezing and fondling them gently. A small sound of pleasure escaping her throat, she tilted her head back over his shoulder. He nuzzled and nibbled at the exposed flesh of her neck, his fingers rubbing her nipples taut.

Ayame shut her eyes, lost in a swirl of pure bliss as he caressed her with hands and mouth. His legs rested on either side of her own, and she gripped at his thighs, marveling quietly at the rock-hard lengths of muscle that rested beneath his tan skin. They had served him well, these long, strong legs of his. They had carried him all over this country, carried him in and out of danger, and finally brought him back home to her. Smiling to herself, she smoothed her fingers farther up his thighs until she reached the thick brown fur of his kilt.

He purred into her neck, his hands mimicking hers and curling into her skirt. He unknotted the ties, pulled the garment from her body, and tossed it aside. Clad only in her thin underclothes, she spun around to face him and rose up onto her knees. He followed suit, hands gripping her hips and pulling them close to his. His breath hissed between his teeth as she drew her nails languorously down his back and slid them beneath the waistband of his kilt. A few seconds later and it fell from his body. His loincloth soon followed.

Kouga grinned roguishly at her as she spread her fingers out over his rear and gave it a tentative squeeze. His fingers looped under the ties of her underclothes and they parted easily with one tug. He suddenly ground his hips into her, grin widening as he caught sight of the furious blush that rose to her cheeks.

"Anata," she whispered, arms hesitantly encircling his waist. She nipped his chin in reaffirmation of her agreement before shyly burying her face in the hollow of his neck.

"Ayame." He repeated his part of the ritual then buried his face into the shining auburn mass of her hair and returned the embrace. He could feel her heart pounding wildly in her chest and knew that his was beating just as fast. Her skin was warm and soft, her hair only slightly damp now. Her scent was heavy in the air, nearly driving him mad with desire. With a grunt, he grabbed her rear and hauled her onto his lap.

She stiffened slightly then relaxed as her lower regions came into close contact with his. She sighed in contentment and pushed him onto his back. His hands rose to her breasts as she sidled her pelvis more firmly against his. She pressed his hands to the floor over his head, giving his wrists a gentle squeeze—a silent order to keep them in place. Her fingers smoothed over his arms, his shoulders, down to his chest. He murmured her name as she leaned forward and took one nipple into her mouth. There was a sharp prick as her fangs closed over it, making him jump in surprise. She smirked at him, then removed her teeth and lapped at the spot with her tongue. She moved to the other nipple, drawing a wet line across his chest.

Kouga trembled beneath her, his hands rising to her breasts. She leaned into his touch, rolling her hips from side to side. Kouga's breath shook, his fingers falling down her sides to grip her hips. His hands trembled on her skin then tightened, lifting her up off of his body. With his help, she guided him into her, teeth digging into her lower lip as she sank slowly down onto his body. The pressure and pain were incredible; sensations she never had imagined much less experienced.

"Ayame?" His voice was low and husky, the firelight casting warm shadows on his face. Her lips curved up in a wide smile at his concerned look. She slowly rocked her hips up and down, steeling herself against the burning ache that suddenly flared between her legs. Kouga inhaled sharply, his fingernails digging deeply into the flesh of her thighs. She started an easy rhythm, focusing on him and letting the pain fade into the back reaches of her mind. His chest heaved like a bellows beneath her hands. He squeezed her thighs, coaxing her to move faster. She complied readily, hips grinding against his with increasing speed.

Kouga made an impatient sound and levered himself into a seated position, scooping up Ayame and crossing his legs beneath her. She cried out in mingled pleasure and surprise as, with one swift motion, he rammed her hips against his. She slumped against him momentarily, stunned by the wave of pure pleasure that this new angle was sending through her body. Kouga's breath ran hot and ragged over her ear, small keening noises issuing from his mouth.

He lifted her again, and she moved with him, locking her ankles behind him and putting her own power into the motion this time. Kouga moaned and buried his face in the hollow of her shoulder. His hands, now slick with the sweat that was streaming down both of their bodies, shook on her skin. He nuzzled one of her breasts, then began to suckle lightly on it. Ayame threw her head back and gritted her teeth against the fierce, wet heat between them that seemed to be growing ever more intense with each second that passed.

Their bodies moved in sync, two lovers in perfect time with each other. Ayame leaned into Kouga, wrapping her arms around his waist. She ran her fingers through the thick fur of his tail, moving upwards to knead at the base. He growled and began to pull her even harder against him. The tired muscles of her thighs and calves, having already sustained quite a workout earlier, ached and throbbed. Unable to keep up the feverish pace any longer, she relaxed and let him guide her body, the powerful muscles of his arms straining and bulging beneath taut, sweat-streaked skin.

Ayame buried her teeth in his shoulder, muffling her cry as a wave of ecstasy wracked her small frame. She bucked uncontrollably in his arms, her fangs sinking through his skin and her fingernails raking deep furrows down his back. Her breath was suddenly driven from her lungs as Kouga crushed her against him. His shout of pleasure reverberated throughout the cave, shaking loose bits of dirt from the tangled roots above them. He finally released her and she collapsed against him, tremors of pleasure still shooting up her spine and down her legs.

Kouga's voice wavered in her ear. "Ayame," he whispered reverently, reaching up with one hand to brush the wet tendrils of her hair from her face. She made a contented sound and nuzzled his neck. A few droplets of blood oozed from where she had bit him, and she lapped lightly at them, taking pleasure in the shiver that ran through his body.

Kouga fell back to the floor, a satisfied grin surfacing on his face. How long had it been since he had felt this relaxed? The rage and all of the worries that had been eating away at him for the last few months had completely disappeared. He felt light, blissfully spent. He smoothed one palm up Ayame's belly and between her breasts, smile widening as her hand covered his and pressed it firmly against her pounding heart.

Kami, he had been so blind. She was beautiful beyond compare, glowing with a vitality and strength that not even the most powerful of humans could hope to muster. Kagome's rejection still stung, but that was slowly fading into the past, drowned out by the sight and feel of his mate above him.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Ayame asked, a quizzical look on her face. Kouga shook his head dismissively. She squeezed his hand and gave an impatient little jump that sent a pleasant tingle up his spine. "What is it?"

"You'll not be the wild wolf princess anymore," he finally replied, a wry look on his face.

"Is that so?" she replied, expression skeptical. He nodded, his fingers idly twisting themselves around hers.

"I can't have you running off and causing trouble when my pups are born."

Ayame threw back her head and laughed delightedly. "Me? Running off and causing trouble? I thought that was your specialty, Anata."

Kouga snorted derisively and pulled her down so that they were now face to face. He surveyed the crusted blood beneath her fingernails and wiggled her captive fingers before her nose.

"Here's proof right here that you're a troublemaker. Half of the skin on my back must be under your nails."

"Really? And I thought that you liked it."

His dark eyes sparkled brightly in the firelight, a mischievous smile teasing at the corners of his mouth. "Oh, I liked it. In fact, I liked it so much that I want to try it again. Right now."

Ayame suddenly found herself on her back, pinned to the floor by Kouga's body. A blush crept to her cheeks as she caught sight of his roguish expression. "Kouga, the sun will be rising soon. We need to get back to the caves." Her brow furrowed suddenly and she looked up at him hesitantly. "You are planning on coming back to the caves, aren't you?"

"Baka. Where else can I go?" He nibbled lightly on one of her earlobes, then on the side of her neck.

"Kouga, you mean you—" He silenced her with a kiss. She returned it hungrily, her words dissolving on her tongue. There would be plenty of time to talk about all of these things later.

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	5. Epilogue: Pictures on the Wall

**PICTURES ON THE WALL**

_By Jacki (aka Kena, Oritsu)_

**Epilogue – Pictures on the Wall**

"This is it right here." Ayame knelt and plucked a small deep blue flower from between the crooked roots of a large pine. Kouga took the plant from her hand and twirled it around between his fingers before adding it the motley assortment of flowers, bark, colored stones, and other items piled in the center of Ayame's cape, which they had happened to find washed up onto the bank of the river earlier. It was ruined, the fur matted and clogged with dirt and small twigs and torn in several places where it had caught on the branch. He inspected their collection, a dubious expression on his face.

"Do we really have to do this?" he asked, giving a light tug on the edge of her skirt, still slightly damp from the night before. Ayame sighed ruefully and handed him a cluster of the flowers.

"Kouga, you know I can't let you get away with what you did. It wouldn't have happened if you hadn't decided to act like such a mean bastard." She pared and discarded the stems and leaves from a small shrub that she had uprooted and smacked him lightly on the shoulder with the clump of bulbous, tangled roots that dangled from the bottom.

Warm fingers suddenly wrapped around her wrist and one of her ankles, jerking her off balance. With a cry of outrage, she toppled to the ground. Kouga moved above her and quickly pinned her wrists to the ground above her head. He chuckled as she bucked and writhed beneath him.

"Are you saying that you regret becoming my woman?" he growled mischievously, lips just barely brushing hers.

Ayame's sarcastic reply caught in her throat as she stared up at his bright blue eyes. Her heart fluttered in her chest and she was suddenly struck by the oddity of the situation. Kouga waylaying and reminding her of a promise she had made to him. She began to laugh, loudly and openly, the noise sending a cluster of birds wheeling off into the air from a nearby tree. Kouga cocked his head to the side in confusion, and she began to laugh even harder, tiny tears squeezing from the corners of her eyes.

"I'm yours, Kouga," she gasped between gales of laughter. She pulled her arms from his slack grip and wrapped them around his neck. "Every part of me." Her mouth hovered over the shell of his ear, her mirth fading away as she sucked lightly on his earlobe. "I could never regret being your woman," she whispered.

Kouga shuddered happily and, framing her skull between his hands, showered her face with tiny kisses. Ayame giggled in delight and followed suit.

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"Ginta-kun, Hakkaku-kun, tell us about how you helped Kouga-sama defeat Naraku!"

"Yes! Please tell us!"

Hakkaku and Ginta flushed, goofy grins spreading across their faces as a dozen more requests and questions rose from the group of females clustered around them.

"Well, Naraku gave a good chase for quite a long time," Ginta began. The women nodded eagerly.

Hakkaku continued, "Sometimes Kouga became so tired from all of the running that he didn't think he could go on any longer."

"But then we would lift him to his feet and tell him that even though he was tired, he had to keep up with us, keeping going on chasing after Naraku until our tribe had been avenged," Ginta finished.

An attractive brunette gripped his arm tightly and pressed against him. "You're so brave, Ginta-kun!"

"Yes! Kouga-sama is so lucky to have such loyal friends!" chirruped another as she rested her head on one of Hakkaku's knees, looking up at him adoringly. A chorus of similar praises and adulations rose from the rest as they pressed even closer to touch the two delighted wolf youkai.

The sound of rushing wind and pounding feet suddenly reverberated through the cave and the group looked towards the entrance of the cave. Kouga and Ayame quickly materialized from the whirl of dust, hands intertwined.

"Kouga-sama!" the women cried out, releasing their holds on Ginta and Hakkaku. A strong gust of wind blew into the cave with the couple's arrival, and upon catching the couple's newly mingled scent, the females settled back around the two men with renewed interest.

Momentarily forgetting the attention they were receiving and unable to believe what their noses were telling them, Ginta and Hakkaku stared fixedly at their leader and the auburn-haired wolf princess. Ayame whispered into Kouga's ear briefly and pointed towards a narrow passage at the rear of the cave. He complacently nodded in consent and pressed his lips against hers in a warm kiss before dodging the clusters of fires and beds in the direction of the tunnel. A wide smile on her face as she watched his retreating back, Ayame headed down another passage. Hakkaku and Ginta shared a knowing look and cheerfully returned their attention back to their fan-club.

Kouga found Kenji where he had left him the day before, in the cave with all of the murals. The boy was nearly hidden behind a large outcropping of rock, sitting in a crouch with his arms around his knees and his face buried between them. The moonlight shafted down through the skylight, illuminating the broken potsherds scattered across the smooth stone of the floor. A guilty twinge throbbed in Kouga's chest as he saw the twisted scar of paint, now dried to an ugly, murky brown on the cave wall.

"Yo."

The wolf cub cringed and shrunk even farther behind the shelf of rock. Kouga sighed and sunk to his knees beside the small, hunched form.

"Hey, Kenji, I wanted to…," he hesitated, the words on his tongue alien and distinctly uncomfortable to him. He took a deep breath then said, "I wanted to say I'm…sorry for what happened yesterday."

Large green eyes gleamed from beneath the shaggy waves of auburn hair as the boy shifted his position to glance suspiciously up at the wolf prince. Encouraged, Kouga gently set down Ayame's bundled cape. Kenji's eyes followed his movement as he spread its contents out on the floor.

"I wanted to make it up to you. Ayame told me that these were what you used," he continued, gesturing toward the pile of flowers, rocks, and small tubers.

"I'm not going to paint anymore. It's stupid," the wolf cub muttered.

Kouga grimaced and hesitantly laid his hand on the boy's small shoulder. "No it's not."

Kenji shrugged off his hand. "You're just saying that because Neesan made you say it," he retorted, his voice thick with a sob.

"No. It's important to write down the wolf tribe's history like this. When we're gone, the new leaders should know what we went through in the past so that they don't make the same mistakes."

Kouga smoothed down the soft, silvery fur of the boy's cape, fingers brushing affectionately over the locks of hair that curled at the base of his neck. Kenji remained still for a moment, then, with a loud cry, threw himself at Kouga.

"I'm sorry, Kouga-sama!" he sobbed, his voice muffled as he buried his face into the elder wolf's chest. Kouga's shocked expression was soon replaced by a gentle, relieved smile. He wrapped his arms around the cub's lanky body and pulled him close.

"I'm the one who wronged you. You don't need to apologize," he murmured. The boy nodded, chest still hitching. Kouga gently pulled the boy away from him. "How about you show me how to make these pictures, Kenji," he suggested.

Kenji sniffled, swiped the remaining tears from his face, and nodded. "Hai, Kouga-sama," he replied.

Kouga caught him by the shoulders as he attempted to rise. "-Aniki," he corrected. We're brothers now."

Kenji's eyebrows rose in amazement. "You mean that you and Ayame-neesan…"

Kouga nodded and smiled.

A glowing smile broke out over the boy's features. "Hai, Kouga-aniki!" he exclaimed happily.

THE END….._for now, anyway_

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_Ah, it felt so good to finally finish this fic! Originally I had meant to have it end at Ch4, but that left a lot of loose ends with Kenji and whatnot and also I wanted to show a little love to Ginta and Hakkaku. We all know who's in their fan-club. ;D_

_Yes, there is a sequel to this. It's called "Bound Together: Danketsu" and I already have written and posted the first 5 chapters of that with plenty more to come in the near future! The story actually connects my Sessh/Rin stories with this story as well as draws in the rest of the cast of the anime._

_Thank you so much to all of you guys who have given me so much support and encouragement! I apologize for making you wait so long for the final chapter!_


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